A Bradford father-of-three has been murdered during a family dispute over his daughter's marriage to her cousin.

Aksan Askan, 47, was shot dead in Pakistan after his daughter Shamim Akhtar, 24, had refused to live there with her husband Shakoor Khan, 26.

Mr Aksan, a delivery driver, and his family, who live in Lidget Green, Bradford, had supported her decision to remain in the UK, said his son Amhed Nawaz, 21.

But tensions grew when Mr Khan's application for a British visa was refused.

Pakistani-born Mr Aksan, who was described by his son as a gentle mediator who wanted the best for his children, decided he would try to resolve the issue when visiting his birth land for a friend's wedding.

Mr Nawaz said relatives who had witnessed the shooting said his father had been killed shortly after a family meeting in Harrpur Hazra, a town near the city of Aptabad on Saturday.

Mr Nawaz, a deputy manager at a Co-op store in Gain Lane, Fagley, said it had been agreed at the meeting that an appeal would be lodged for a British visa for his sister's husband.

But two men, believed to be related to Mr Khan, stayed after the meeting to dispute that decision.

Mr Nawaz said they then shot his father twice. One bullet wounded him in the shoulder and another entered his heart and killed him.

Mr Nawaz said his father died while pleading for help. "He was saying, Please take me to hospital. I want to live, I have children,' but he only lasted ten minutes," he said.

Mr Aksan's death is now being investigated by police in Pakistan. One man has been arrested and was last night being held in custody.

Mr Nawaz said he understood the older of the two suspects had handed himself in to police. But he said his family had received death threats from the other man who is still on the run.

He said it would be too dangerous for him or any of his family to visit his father's grave until the second man had been caught and prosecuted.

Mr Nawaz said: "Obviously my dad's grave is there, but how can my mum or my sister visit? They have said they will kill me."

Bradford West Labour MP Marsha Singh has offered his support to the family and has called for the killers to be brought to justice.

He alerted the Foreign Office to Mr Aksan's death and has requested that British Embassy staff are kept up to date with the police investigation, said Mr Nawaz.

Mr Singh said: "My sympathies go out to the family. Their father has gone abroad and he has been murdered; it's absolutely terrible. We cannot replace a lost one but we can try to get them justice."

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed the killing was being investigated by Pakistani police.

He said: "We are aware of the case. We have been in contact with the police authorities. They have arrested one person in connection with Mr Aksan's death."

The spokesman said the Foreign Office would continue to deal with the case until it was determined if Mr Aksan had British, Pakistani or dual-citizenship which would decide whether the Pakistani or British authorities would take responsibility.

Mr Nawaz said: "I want these people to be locked up, both of them. My father's been killed by his own family for nothing."

Mr Nawaz said his father had been well-liked and would be missed terribly by his friends, wife and children.

He said: "He used to go to the local mosque; everyone knew him round the area; they all liked him. They are all coming to the house now saying he was a good man.

"He wasn't scared to go places. He thought he would sort everything out; he went over with no idea about their threats.

"I don't want this happening to another person's father. He did everything for his family. He doesn't deserve this."